On Sisters and Girlfriends
by ElectronicYarn
Summary: Weiss has a problem. A big, blonde problem that has a history of not keeping her mouth shut. Normally Winter's visit to Beacon during the Vytal Festival would be a wonderful thing for Weiss, but somehow she has to make it through the day without letting her sister catch on that she and Yang are secretly dating.


_Author's Note: This story was written during the interim between Volumes 3 and 4._

* * *

It was a bright and clear morning at Beacon Academy, and the school's airdock was bustling with activity. Dignitaries and tourists alike were arriving en masse to enjoy the Vytal Festival. Weiss and Yang were standing together amidst the organized chaos, waiting at the end of an empty boarding ramp.

"So what are we doing here again?" Yang asked.

"I already told you," Weiss said, not bothering to look at Yang. Her eyes were glued to an airship that was steadily descending toward the empty berth in front of them.

"No, you said, 'She's here.' Then dragged me away by the arm," Yang said. "Who's she?"

"My sister, Winter. She's visiting for the Vytal Festival," Weiss explained.

"Oh! That's the sister you like, right?" Yang asked.

"She's my only sister," Weiss said. "And yes, she and I are on good terms."

"Awesome! That explains why you're so bubbly," Yang teased.

"I am not bubbly!" Weiss protested, finally tearing her eyes away from the sky.

"Uh-huh," Yang said, clearly unconvinced. "You've been acting like Ruby on a sugar-high ever since we left the arena."

"I'm not…" Weiss trailed off. She knew from experience that arguing with Yang was pointless. "I didn't even know Winter was coming, and it's been a long time since I've seen her."

"Hey. I get it," Yang said. "Family's important. Especially the ones you like."

Weiss looked back up into the sky. It seemed like Winter's airship was taking an extremely long time to finish docking. Weiss tapped her foot impatiently. She couldn't wait to see Winter again, and now was the perfect time for her to visit. With the Vytal Festival in full swing, Beacon and Vale were at their best. Even better, Team RWBY was competing in the tournament. Weiss couldn't wait to impress Winter with both her school and her team.

Weiss tried to recall when she'd last spoken to Winter. It was almost a year ago now, not long after she'd announced her intention to attend Beacon. Winter's career in the Atlesian military kept her constantly on the move. It was difficult to find time to talk with her over the CCTTs, let alone face-to-face. Weiss hoped Winter would be able to stay a while. She had so much she wanted to tell her.

Regretfully though, Weiss knew she wouldn't be able to share with Winter the most momentous thing that had happened to her. Several months ago she and yang had officially started dating. However, that fact was a closely guarded secret. Only Ruby and Blake knew, and even that was because it would've been impossible to hide it from them.

Yang had been a bit perplexed by the need for secrecy, but that was hardly surprising. One of the many things Weiss liked about Yang was her complete ignorance about the machinations of the social elite. She didn't know that her relationship with Weiss would be considered improper and ill-advised by high society.

Despite the stigma, Weiss would have gladly made her relationship with Yang public. In fact, she yearned to. But she couldn't. If she did, her father would find out. To say that he would object would be a monumental understatement. Weiss might have been able to ignore the disapproval of the rest of Remnant, but her father's was another story.

To Yang's credit, she'd been dutiful in respecting Weiss's wish for secrecy. In fact, she seemed to find the whole situation amusing.

Suddenly, a worrisome thought struck Weiss. Did Yang know that Winter couldn't be told about their relationship? Surely she did. But then again, Yang could be unbelievably clueless sometimes, although Weiss suspected it was usually on purpose. As much as Weiss adored Yang, that didn't change the fact that the girl had an uncanny knack for being insufferable when she wanted to be.

Weiss said to Yang, "I trust you will be on your best behavior in front of Winter."

"Well, yeah, of course," Yang said.

"What I mean is, Winter can't learn about…you know," Weiss said, making extra sure Yang understood what she meant.

"Oh," Yang said, sounding disappointed. "You sure?"

"Yes," Weiss said sadly. "I'm very sure."

"Alright," Yang said. Then she dropped her voice low and whispered mischievously, "So no making out in front of her?"

"Yes, Yang," Weiss said with forced calm. "There will be none of that in front of Winter."

"Gotcha," Yang said with a wink.

Weiss had never kept any secrets from Winter before. She didn't want to do it, but the circumstances didn't give her any choice. Thinking about it dampened her excitement somewhat. She really did want to trust Winter with her secret, but she couldn't take that risk. And if she was completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure if Winter would approve of Yang any more than Father would.

Weiss sighed despondently. The thought that Winter wouldn't accept her dating Yang was downright depressing.

"Hey Weiss," Yang said, interrupting Weiss's thoughts.

"What is it, Yang?" Weiss asked.

Yang tapped her left cheek twice and winked at Weiss.

Weiss felt a flutter in her stomach. That was their secret sign. It meant, "I love you." It was the spot Weiss had first kissed Yang. Weiss was embarrassed how much seeing Yang make the gesture still affected her, but at the same time, she was glad for it. Leave it to Yang to know when she needed a pick-me-up.

"Me too," Weiss said, softly.

Even after all the time they'd been dating, it still made Weiss giddy to think of Yang as her girlfriend. It seemed silly now that she'd spent so long denying her feelings. Yang was not the kind of person Weiss had ever thought she would date, but dating they were, and Weiss was loving every moment of it. Despite Yang's unfortunate penchant for horrible puns and her other more annoying idiosyncrasies, Weiss cherished Yang and everything Yang did for her. And the way Yang made her feel was indescribably wonderful. The fact that Yang was rather attractive as well was a nice bonus.

Yang nudged Weiss in the arm, jolting her out of her daydream. Weiss realized with embarrassment that she'd been openly staring at Yang, probably with a big, dopey look on her face too. She chided herself for making such a stupid mistake. With Winter's eminent arrival, today was not the day to give any clue that she and Yang were anything more than friends.

Weiss turned back to the dock to discover why exactly Yang had nudged her. Not only had Winter's airship finished docking while Weiss had been gawking, but Winter herself was walking down the boarding ramp and heading their way. Weiss felt herself panic as her sister approached. Had she noticed?

"W-Winter! I'm so happy to see you! I mean…" Weiss said, scrambling to regain her composure. She finally remembered her decorum and said, "Your presence honors us."

Winter took a moment before replying. "Beacon. It's been a long time."

Weiss felt relieved. It seemed Winter hadn't noticed her staring at Yang. She asked, "So, what are you doing here?"

"Classified," Winter said.

"Oh. Right. Well how long are you staying?"

"Classified."

"Of course."

"Geez," Yang muttered. "And I thought you were bad."

Weiss shot Yang a glare. She quickly said to Winter, "You're going to love it here! I know you travel a lot, but so much of Beacon is different from Atlas. Vale too! The—"

"I'm more than familiar with this kingdom," Winter interrupted. "I didn't come here to sightsee."

"Right. I'm sorry," Weiss said.

"Nor did I come to watch my own blood fail so miserably in battle. But it appears I have no choice in the matter," Winter said.

Weiss was taken aback. "But, we won!" she said, confused.

"Only a novice would refer to that as a victory," Winter said. "I counted at least three strikes missed."

Yang spoke up, "Now wait a minute…!"

Warning bells went off in Weiss's head. Questioning Team RWBY's fighting prowess was a good way to raise Yang's considerable temper. And questioning Winter's judgment in any matter at all was a good way to raise hers. Weiss realized she was sitting on a bomb just waiting to go off.

"Yang, I don't think…" Weiss said, trying to defuse the situation.

Yang completely ignored Weiss. She said, "What fight were you watching? We wiped the floor with those guys! Did you even see what Weiss did? Who cares if she missed once or twice?"

Winter seemed unperturbed, much to Weiss's astonishment and relief. Winter said, "I don't believe we've been introduced."

"I'm Yang," Yang said.

Winter didn't say anything.

"Yang Xiao Long?" Yang said, clearly surprised Winter didn't know her name.

"And what is your relationship to my sister?" Winter asked.

Yang grinned. She threw her arm over Weiss's shoulder in a gesture that was far more familiar than Weiss would have liked. "Well, Weiss and I are teammates!"

Weiss was very glad Yang had said teammates. She trusted Yang's intentions to not alert Winter to the nature of their relationship, but sometimes Yang's mouth was faster than her brain. There had already been several close calls this semester.

Winter studied Yang a moment before she replied. "So this is your mysterious fourth teammate, sister. You spoke of her so infrequently, I was beginning to wonder if she even existed."

"She doesn't talk about me?" Yang asked.

Although the hurt in Yang's voice sounded genuine, Weiss knew for a fact that Yang was just hamming things up. She also knew that Yang knew precisely why Weiss rarely spoke to Winter about her, but Yang seemed to be physically incapable of passing up an opportunity to act overly dramatic.

"Oh Weiss, how could you!" Yang withdrew her arm from Weiss's shoulder and threw her hand over her forehead. "After all this time that we've been…friends. Do I matter so little that I don't even bare mentioning to your dear sister?!"

Weiss was trying very hard not to be amused by Yang. A meeting with Winter was not the time or place to encourage Yang's childish antics. But despite Weiss's best efforts, her lips twisted into a smirk and a quiet snicker escaped her.

"Well," Winter said. "I am at least pleased to see that you are making new friends, Weiss. Yang Xiao Long, I wish to thank you for taking an interest in my sister."

Yang laughed at Winter's statement.

Weiss blanched. She could practically see the double entendre forming on Yang's lips.

Yang's mouth opened, but all she got out was, "Yeah, I—oof!" before Weiss's elbow connected with her gut.

Weiss hastily said, "I'm sure Winter has a mission she needs to focus on for now, Yang! We wouldn't want to delay her!"

Winter eyed Weiss and Yang suspiciously. Weiss resisted the urge to squirm under Winter's piercing gaze. After all, she'd done nothing wrong, so there was no reason to feel guilty, right?

Eventually, Winter said, "I do have business with the general and your headmaster. But seeing as I'm early, why don't you take me to your quarters?"

"Really?" Weiss asked, surprised.

"Yes. I wish to inspect them to make sure they're up to my personal standards." Winter glanced at Yang. "And it will give us the opportunity to speak privately."

"Of course!" Weiss said. Then she added, "Just so you're aware, the bunk beds only look unstable."

"Bunk…beds?" Winter asked, the words rolling unfamiliarly off her tongue.

"Uh…catch you guys later I guess!" Yang shouted after Weiss and Winter as they left.

Just before Yang was out of earshot, Weiss heard her say, "Heh. Interest."

Weiss hoped Winter didn't see her blushing.

* * *

Weiss twitched nervously as Winter's critical eye took in every last detail of Team RWBY's dorm room. It was quite obvious that the living space was not up to Winter's personal standards. Weiss hadn't given it any thought during the semester, but she was painfully aware of it now.

Winter gave Ruby's bunk bed a gentle push and watched as it swayed back and forth. The ropes that held it up creaked worryingly.

"This is not what I was expecting," Winter said.

"The beds were Ruby's idea. She has a few…quirks," Weiss said. "But she knows what she's doing! At…at least as a team leader."

"I would expect nothing less from someone who has gained entrance to a school like Beacon Academy at such a young age," Winter said. "As I recall your exact words to describe her were, 'child prodigy'."

Weiss remembered sending that message to Winter. It had been just after Team RWBY had been formed. Back then she hadn't believed that Ruby was anything more than an immature child who had somehow managed to fool Professor Ozpin into not only admitting her to Beacon, but into making her a team leader. Weiss had used the term prodigy to frame the fact that she'd been made subordinate to a fifteen-year-old in the best possible light. She felt a little guilty remembering her past self's lack of faith in her leader. She knew better now. Ruby really was a prodigy.

Winter continued, "I would like to meet your team leader if there's an opportunity."

"I'm sure you'd find her…" Weiss searched for the right word. Eventually she settled on, "…interesting."

Winter's eyes shifted down to Weiss's bed.

Weiss felt a stab of panic when she remembered what was hidden underneath her mattress. Mere inches from where Winter stood were the love letters Yang had written to Weiss. It was silly to expect that Winter would snoop underneath her mattress, but the content of those letters didn't leave any room for ambiguity.

Weiss had been completely surprised the day she had come into the empty dorm room and had found a letter waiting for her on her pillow. It'd had her name written on it in Yang's sloppy handwriting. Weiss had immediately snatched it up like it was contraband. She'd wanted to scold Yang for leaving such damning evidence just lying around. After a very thorough check of the room to make sure that she really was alone, Weiss had opened the letter and read it. If she had to be perfectly honest, Yang's prose left a lot to be desired, but she hadn't cared. She'd read the letter three times and savored every word. The mere fact that Yang had made the effort had melted her heart.

Weiss hadn't scolded Yang, and she hadn't destroyed the letter like her practical side had told her to do. The letter and those that had followed it had become Weiss's most treasured possessions. They were the only things anyone had ever given to her, not out of obligation, not to gain her favor, but because they'd simply wanted to.

Winter moved on from Weiss's bed, apparently satisfied with it. Weiss let out a silent sigh of relief, but then she realized she'd relaxed too soon. Winter was now carefully scanning the titles of Blake's book collection. They were all works of fiction, all completely innocuous at a glance. However, many of their plots were subtle, or not-so-subtle, allegories for the faunus' plight. Weiss had no doubts that her father would consider them to be dangerous, subversive propaganda. How was it that every corner of this room contained a secret that she had to keep from Winter?

Weiss was almost certain that Winter couldn't know the content of Blake's books from their titles alone, but she couldn't be completely sure. Winter had a keen eye, a razor-sharp intellect, and an amazing capacity for information. She might very well have a list of "dangerous" faunus literature memorized. And while she was more progressive than her father—not an impressive feat in and of itself—she still had a dim view of the faunus. Weiss realized glumly that it was all part of being a Schnee.

Weiss was starting to regret Winter's visit today. Winter had been the only bright spot of her childhood. When she couldn't win her father's love, she'd used Winter's as a substitute. She wanted Winter to see how much she'd grown here at Beacon. She wanted Winter to meet her new friends and appreciate them for who and what they were. But now she saw that would never happen. Despite Ruby's accomplishments, she was too far removed from the etiquette and mores of high society to impress Winter. Blake was not only a faunus, but a former member of the White Fang. And Yang was the complete and utter opposite of the kind of person Weiss was expected to date.

It had been impressed upon Weiss, repeatedly and emphatically, from a young age that the most important thing to the Schnee Family was the family itself. The Schnees represented the best of humanity, or so they believed, and to bring someone into the family that was lacking in any way was unforgivable. To make matters worse, Weiss was expected to produce future heirs, and that was something biology prevented her from doing with Yang. There may be no love lost between Winter and Father, but Winter still cared very much about the family.

Weiss was shaken out of her morose thoughts when Winter asked, "Who does this belong to?"

Weiss raised her head. Winter was looking at the Achieve Men poster hanging crookedly on the wall.

"That's Yang's," Weiss said.

"Isn't it strange that she would have something like this on display?" Winter asked.

"I'm told they're a very popular band among teenaged girls," Weiss said.

"For the quality of their music? Or for…other reasons?" Winter asked.

"I'm not really sure," Weiss said. She knew that many boy bands, like the Achieve Men, were more renowned for their ability to make young girls swoon rather than any musical talent, but she didn't know the particular reason for Yang's interest in the group. And she was completely confused as to why Winter would care.

"Miss Xiao Long is a very interesting person," Winter said. "It's been a long time since a complete stranger has spoken up against me."

"I'm sorry about that," Weiss said. "Yang tends to speak her mind."

"On the contrary," Winter said. "I found it very refreshing."

"You did?" Weiss asked, baffled.

"Indeed. It was heartening how quickly she came to your defense," Winter said. "And with such fervor. Contrary to what Father believes, we Schnees do not easily command the respect we deserve from those not beholden to us. You are to be commended for cultivating such genuine loyalty so quickly."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

"You must tell me how you accomplished it," Winter said.

"I…uh…" Weiss stammered. She wasn't sure what to tell Winter. The underpinnings of her and Yang's relationship had begun just after Blake's past had been exposed. Yang and Weiss had spent an entire sleepless night talking to each other. Yang had helped Weiss work out her feeling about what had happened. But Weiss couldn't tell Winter about that for many reasons. She also couldn't tell her about the suggestive winks and lingering touches Yang has started giving her not long after. And she certainly couldn't tell her about the day they had officially become a couple. They had been sparring alone and it had somehow become a make out session before either of them realized it.

Eventually, Weiss said, "Yang is a very…open and honest person. As long as you show her respect, she'll do the same for you."

"I see," Winter said. "It must be delightfully novel to deal with people whose intentions are clear."

"It is nice," Weiss said wistfully.

"And despite her rather straightforward fighting style, she does seem useful in combat."

"She is."

"And she's quite fetching, don't you think?"

"Yes she…" Weiss almost agreed before she'd fully processed the question. "Wait. What?"

Winter was already halfway to the door. "It has been most enlightening seeing your quarters, but I must meet with your headmaster now. I will convene with you again before I depart."

Before Weiss could say anything more, Winter was gone. "What was that about?" she asked the empty room.

* * *

It wasn't long until Weiss found herself waiting in a small sitting area just off of the festival grounds. Winter had told Weiss to meet her there. Her meeting with Professor Ozpin had been over surprisingly quickly.

The afternoon had only just begun, but despite that, Weiss felt like it'd already been a very long day. Winter's visit had been quite the marathon, emotionally speaking. It hadn't gone at all like Weiss had hoped or expected.

Winter's last comment before she'd left to meet Ozpin was preying on Weiss's mind. It almost sounded like Winter somehow knew about her and Yang. Weiss told herself she was just being paranoid. There was no way Winter could know.

Before Weiss could waste any more time fretting, Winter strode into the sitting area. As always, she was the image of cool detachment and perfect poise. Weiss had always been envious of Winter's effortless composure. She'd long sought to emulate it.

Despite Winter's calm however, Weiss could tell that something had perturbed her. It was in the subtle way she held herself, something no one other than Weiss would ever notice. Something must have happened during Winter's meeting with Ozpin.

"How did everything go?" Weiss asked, hoping Winter would explain what had upset her.

"Classified," Winter said unhelpfully as she sat.

"Right," Weiss said. Despite her curiosity, she didn't press the issue. If Winter didn't want to talk about something then that was that.

Weiss tried to come up with a topic of conversation, but everything she wanted to talk about was something she couldn't tell Winter. Fortunately for her, Winter spoke first. "It has been good to see you again, sister. You've done…well, out here on your own. You should be proud. I'll be honest, it was quite amusing seeing Father's face the day you left for Beacon."

"His expression when he realized he wasn't going to get his way was rather satisfying," Weiss admitted, glad to have something she could actually speak to Winter about. "I can't wait to show him what I've learned here at Beacon."

"But to do that, you'd have to stop avoiding him," Winter said.

"What? I'm not avoiding him!" Weiss said.

"Indeed?" Winter said pointedly. "Have you had any difficulty with your card recently?"

"Yes! I was trying to pay for lunch the other day and it didn't work," Weiss said. "How did you know?"

"I may have been in a similar situation when I join the military," Winter said. "Believe me when I say, if you want Father's money, you will have to call him from time to time."

Weiss looked terrified at the prospect. It seemed silly that something as simple as a phone call should fill her with such dread, but it really did. If she had difficulty talking to Winter now, what could she possibly say to Father? Any attempt to speak the truth was sure to be met with fierce disapproval.

Weiss had asked herself many times recently if she even wanted Father's money anymore, although the answer was always a resounding yes. The wealth, the prestige, and the power of the Schnee family were all too much to give up, even if they'd been obtained by despicable means.

Weiss's reluctance to distance herself from her family's ill-gotten wealth had plagued her with guilt as of late. She often wondered if she wasn't trying to be a better person than her father for its own sake, but just as a form of teenage rebellion. Maybe she was doing thing her father would disapproved of simply because he would.

An old doubt wormed its way back into Weiss's head, despite her best efforts to suppress it. She was afraid that deep down she was just dating Yang because Yang was everything her father wouldn't accept: hopelessly middle-class, lacking in pedigree, and above all, female. Weiss sighed internally. She should probably add kind, accepting, and honest to that list. They were the qualities that had attracted Weiss to Yang in the first place, and depressingly, they were qualities that seemed diametrically opposite to her father.

Before Weiss's thoughts could turn even darker, however, a cheerful, "Heeellooo!" colored the air like a ray of sunshine bursting through the clouds.

"Yang?" Weiss asked, her face brightening.

Yang was sauntering up to Weiss and Winter's table with a tray of coffee cups in her hands. Weiss recognized the branding on the cups as belonging to one of Vale's most premiere, and most expensive, coffeehouses. She and Yang often snuck away from Ruby and Blake on the weekends for a cup of coffee or two. It had become a regular ritual of theirs, and one they both looked forward to all week. Weiss vaguely recalled telling Yang that most of her family were coffee aficionados. She was impressed that Yang had remembered.

"Hello ladies! I figured it was still early enough for coffee!" Yang said. She plucked the cups off her tray and set them down on the table one by one. "Plain black for me. Iced coffee for Weiss. Aaaaaand a double espresso for our honored guest."

Weiss was amazed. She asked, "How did you know my sister's usual order?"

"I have my ways," Yang said mysteriously as she sat down.

"What ways? You don't have ways!" Weiss said.

"I suspect a moldy, old Qrow told her," Winter said, eyeing the cup sitting in front of her suspiciously.

"A…crow?" Weiss asked, confused.

Yang just shrugged with a knowing grin on her face.

Winter cautiously took a sip. "This is an excellent blend," she said, letting the tiniest bit of surprise slip into her voice.

"Once I used my wily ways to figure out what you liked, I searched every last booth at the Vytal Festival for the best espresso ever," Yang explained. "I wanted to make sure it was up to your standards."

"How thoughtful of you," Winter said. "Thank you, Miss Xiao Long."

"You're welcome, Miss Schnee," Yang said.

"That's Specialist Schnee, if you don't mind," Winter said.

"Oh. Right. Sorry, Specialist Schnee," Yang apologized.

"But seeing as you are my sister's teammate and friend," Winter said, "perhaps you should call me Winter."

"Well alright, Winter," Yang said. "But only if you call me Yang."

"Very well, Yang. Your terms are acceptable," Winter said.

Weiss was wide-eyed with shock. Winter was very particular about who she let call her by her first name. Were she and Yang bonding? There was no way this was real, Weiss thought. She had to be hallucinating.

Winter took another sip of her coffee. Then she looked straight at Yang and said. "I want you to know that since you are my sister's teammate, I will be holding you to certain standards as well. I trust your academic performance is exemplary."

"Well, I don't like to brag," Yang said, puffing out her chest.

Weiss tried to hold back a laugh but it forced its way out of her in the form of an undignified snort.

"What?" Yang asked.

"You love to brag," Weiss said. "And maybe if you applied yourself a little more, you'd have grades worth bragging about."

"Hey, I study and all that," Yang said.

"Only when I force you to," Weiss said. "Honestly Yang, you're a lot smarter than you let on. Your grades should reflect that."

"What are they going to do? Not let me be a huntress if I don't get perfect grades?" Yang asked. "I'm a practical girl, Weiss. I pay attention to what's important."

"I suppose your marks in sparring class and grimm studies are impressively high," Weiss conceded.

"Exactly! What to punch and how to punch it!" Yang said. "Besides, I recall teaching you a thing or two."

Winter, who'd been listening intently to Weiss and Yang's exchange, asked, "What exactly is it that you've been instructing my sister in?"

Yang turned to Winter and said, "Can you believe this girl didn't know how to fight hand-to-hand?"

"I spent my time before enrolling at Beacon focusing on rapier combat and Dust usage," Weiss said. "Unarmed combat seemed rather superfluous at the time."

Winter said, "It would be more accurate to say that it is essential."

"Thank you!" Yang said, grinning wide.

"As distasteful and barbaric as unarmed combat is…"

"Thank you?" Yang said, grinning a little less wide.

"…it is the foundation of all personal combat. Swords and Dust are just tools. Your body and mind are the real weapons. I trust, Yang, that my sister has been a good pupil."

"Don't _eye_ know it!" Yang said, drawing out the second word so her meaning was clear.

There was a stunned silence in the wake of Yang's terrible pun. It lasted as long as it took for Yang to think up another one.

"I mean, it took her a while to get a _hand_ -le on it, but she's pretty _handy_ at it now. _Fist_ -class really!"

Weiss let out a groan and buried her head in her hands. A moment later, she shot back up when she heard a sound she hadn't heard in a long, long time.

Winter was laughing.

It wasn't a giggle or a polite chuckle. It was a full-on laugh. Weiss's world was turned upside-down at this unbelievable, unimaginable revelation.

Winter thought puns were funny.

Yang was grinning like a maniac. She gave Weiss two thumbs-up. Weiss didn't know what to feel. She was incredibly happy to hear Winter laugh, but there'd be no living with Yang after this. The smugness would be unbearable.

* * *

The afternoon passed quickly, and before Weiss knew it, she was standing back at the airdock with her sister. Winter was overseeing the Atlesian soldiers who had accompanied her as they boarded her airship.

"Must you leave so soon?" Weiss asked. For all the ups and downs it had entailed, Weiss was glad Winter had come now.

"My mission here is complete. I'm needed elsewhere now," Winter said. "It was good to see you. I must admit, I had concerns when you announced your intentions to enroll at Beacon. But I am pleased to say they were unfounded. I believe you have found your place here."

"Thank you," Weiss said.

Behind Winter the last of the soldiers boarded the airship.

"I must depart," Winter said. "Take care of yourself, sister. Fight well in the tournament."

"I'll make you proud," Weiss said. "I promise."

Winter nodded. She turned to board her airship, but she hesitated. Without turning back around, she said, "You are aware that if it continues Father will find out, are you not?"

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked.

"The ever intriguing Yang Xiao Long of course," Winter said. She turned around and looked Weiss straight in the eye. "Your paramour."

"I…!" Weiss said in shock. She hung her head. "I should have known you'd figure it out."

"If you wish to keep your relationship a secret, you'll need to do a far better job of concealing it," Winter said.

"But we never said anything!" Weiss protested.

"You didn't have to," Winter said. "The way your voice softens when you speak of Yang. The way your face lights up when she's near. The way you were staring at her when I first arrived. It is painfully obvious how much you care for her. And it is even more obvious how much she cares for you."

"We're in love with each other," Weiss conceded. She sighed happily. It felt so wonderful to finally say it out loud.

"I'm sure it has been a wonderful experience for you. But when Father finds out, and make no mistake, he will find out eventually, there will be consequences," Winter said. "At the very least he will demand you end the relationship. If you refuse him, he will certainly disown you."

"I know," Weiss said, softly.

"Is Miss Xiao Long worth that?" Winter asked sternly.

Weiss thought long and hard. She'd always known that alienating her family was a possible consequence of dating Yang. But she'd never thought of it as an absolute certainty. Was she really ready to throw away everything her family had to offer? It seemed irrational and impractical, but then Weiss thought about how Yang's smile warmed her inside. She thought about all the little touches—a hug here, a lingering hand there, an arm over her shoulder. They were like a drug to Weiss whose childhood had been devoid of physical affection. And Yang's genuine optimism and acceptance made Weiss feel like she could see the world in a beautiful new light. But was all that enough to build the rest of her life on?

"I don't know if she's worth it yet," Weiss answered honestly. "But I think she might be."

"Does Yang know this? Does she know what you are risking?" Winter asked.

"We've never discussed it before," Weiss admitted.

"Then you must," Winter said. "You owe it to yourself and you owe it to Yang to decide if this is what you both truly want."

"You're right. Thank you, Winter," Weiss said. She'd known in the back of her mind that these were issues that had needed to be discussed, but she'd been too afraid to do it. With Yang to support her though, maybe she could finally find the courage to stand up for what she really wanted. Maybe she could defy Father. But there was still one thing her family had that she truly couldn't live without.

"If it comes down to it, would you shun me like the rest of the family?" Weiss asked.

"Publicly I would have to disapprove," Winter said.

"I know," Weiss said somberly. Despite Winter's rebellious decision to join the military, she was still a Schnee through and through. "That's not what I asked."

"I…" Winter hesitated uncharacteristically. "I couldn't. I sympathize with you. More than you know."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"I may have been in a similar situation once," Winter reluctantly said, echoing her words from before. "With a beau that father would never have deemed suitable."

"Winter! I had no idea!" Weiss said.

"Like you, I took great pains to keep my relationship a secret," Winter said. "But Father found out."

It didn't take much imagination for Weiss to figure out what must have happened next. She felt badly for Winter, but she knew Winter would not accept her pity. She held herself above such things.

Weiss asked, "Do you regret what happened?"

Winter's only answer was silence.

"Winter…" Weiss said.

Winter glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then she unexpectedly pulled Weiss into a hug.

Weiss was taken aback at first, but she quickly seized the opportunity and hugged Winter back.

"I'm very proud of you, Weiss," Winter said, for once allowing her emotions to seep into her voice. "You're becoming a far braver woman than I."

All too soon, Winter slipped out of the embrace. When she spoke again, it was with her usual aloof monotone. "Goodbye, sister. I will contact you again when I am able."

"Goodbye!" Weiss said. She waved as Winter boarded her airship.

Weiss watched Winter's airship depart until it had vanished beyond the horizon. The day was almost over and night was settling in. Weiss felt like the life she'd always known was almost over too. But there would be a new day tomorrow, and there was a new life waiting for Weiss. All she had to do was reach forward and grasp it.

Weiss turned to leave. She had to track down a certain blonde girlfriend of hers. There was a lot they needed to talk about.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _This was my first tentative dip in to the Freezerburn end of the swimming pool. Although the story turned out to be more about Weiss's relationship with Winter than her relationship with Yang. Oops. I guess Winter has a way of insisting upon herself. This story is kind of a prototype for a longer Freezerburn series I have in mind. (That one focuses on Weiss and Yang's relationship properly. I promise!) I don't think it'll be next on my docket but hopefully I have an opportunity to work on it in the near future._

 _Constructive criticism is always welcome, so please feel free to review or comment. If you want to be notified of updates or send me a message, you can find me on tumblr under the name electronicyarn._


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